Four Leaf Clover
by darkestpowers4ever
Summary: The story of Clover Riley MacUallis. Back story for Butterfly Effect. Rated T for now, may change. Crossover between Darkest Powers, House of Night, and Women of the Otherworld.
1. Prologue: The Lost Girls

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or HON or WOTO **

Prologue: The Lost Girls

_August 15__th__, 2000_

Third POV:

"Daddy, please I need you," the dark haired girl sobbed into the sheets. "I love you, please don't leave me."

She lifted her head from the scratchy hospital sheets; she looked at her father and choked back the new wave of tears. It broke her heart to see her father, the man who she knew was strong and brave, in such a weakened state. His dark chestnut hair was stringy because he wasn't able to wash it; his once glowing tanned skin was pale and held a sick colour to it. His eyes were closed but the girl knew what lay beyond them – his formerly rich brown eyes that had flecks of green and gold in them that always were laughing would be blank, lifeless. It sickened and broke her to see him like this.

All the tubes and wires attached to him, the large one shoved down his throat to keep him breathing and fed wires that were plastered onto his chest that kept his heart beating.

It wasn't enough; all the wires and tubes were proven to be in vain because the next thing the young girl knew the machines that kept her father alive were going haywire. All the beeping that was coming from the machines meant that something was wrong, even at the ripe age of 5 she knew that much.

"HELP!" she screeched and starting shaking her father's arm fervently as if it would keep him alive somehow. "Somebody please help!"

Doctors and nurses rushed in and pushed the girl away from her father and began to work on him, trying to keep him alive. She could only watch in horror as the beeping the machine made was becoming more erratic, she knew her father was dying but she didn't have the heart to look away. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe, and she couldn't blink because she thought if she did her father would die. She wanted to do something – she needed to do something but she couldn't think of anything, it was like someone had cut the cord that connected her brain to the rest of her body.

Somebody wrenched her from the room and when she struggled, the person's nails dug into her shoulder until she was sure that blood was drawn.

"Stay out of the way and don't be such a nuisance," Tess's taut face came into view, blurry through the sheet of tears that covered the girl's eyes but even she could see the rage in her mom's eyes. "You're always in the way, for once listen to me and get out of the way."

Tess shoved her daughter to a row of chairs and didn't even look back to see if her daughter would even follow her directions. But the girl did because she knew if she didn't she'd be severely punished and that was worse than her mom's harsh, livid words. So the young girl tripped her way to the row of hard hospital chairs pushed up against the wall in the busy hallway.

She sat beside a little blonde girl and cried her eyes out. The blonde girl comforted her friend, as for the coincidence of the two best friends being there, it didn't cross their minds. They were too absorbed in grieving together, sorrowful loss that had befallen both of them.

"Don't look," the blonde girl croaked, having just lost her own mother the day before so she knew what the dark haired girl was going through. "It will only make it worse."

The commotion in her father's hospital room ceased and she knew the worst had happened. Her father was dead.

"I'm so sorry Clover," the blonde murmur throatily and held Clover tighter, fearing that if she let Clover go that her friend might completely loose it and do something rash.

"I'm sorry too Chloe," Clover squeezed Chloe and didn't want to let go. "Do you think that they're together?"

"I don't know but I hope they are," Chloe said. "I think that they would want us to remember them and the happy memories that we all shared."

_That's right; Daddy and Jenny were closer than Mommy and Daddy were_ Clover thought. Her mom was nasty and didn't care much for her daughter or her husband; even when she heard that her husband had been stabbed and that the wounds might be fatal she hadn't been hurrying to be at his side. She'd taken her sweet time at work and came to see her injured husband when it suited her. Jenny, Chloe's mom, had been more of a mother to Clover than Tess had ever been. Now both their parental figures were gone – Chloe's mom and Clover's dad.

"Clover," Chloe's voice was right in her ear now and Clover realized that she was clutching Chloe's shirt with great irritation for Tess.

"They'd want us to be happy together, and they would want us to still be best friends no matter what," Clover pulled back and leaned her head against Chloe's.

The girls stayed there for a long time, just staring into each other's lapis lazuli eyes. "We'll always be together," they whispered the promised as one. "Forever."

Through the tears of joy and the tears of sorrow, and when one fell the other would build her back up again. They hadn't realized their arrogance, that someday they may very well be ripped apart and never see each other again. For now they would help each other through one of the darkest parts of their lives, and they couldn't help but feel like they could only truly rely and trust each other.

They were lost girls.

**A/N: **

**Hey y'all! So this is a new story about Clover and her past. It gives you a bit more insight on Clover and her foster mother's relationship and the relationship Clover and her father had too. Remember this is one of the very many back stories for Butterfly Effect and Clover didn't get much dialogue for a main character so this story will be told mostly in her POV.**

**And I'm breaking one of my rules, posting on my birthday! SO THIS IS AN EXTRA SPECIAL STORY! POSTED ON MY 15****TH**** BIRTHDAY!**

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

**Thanks Shawna~~~~**


	2. Chapter 1: Betrayed and Broken

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or HON or WOTO**

Chapter One: Betrayed and Broken

_October 5__th__, 2004_

Clover's POV:

"Bye Chloe!" I waved frantically at the car, trying to get my best friend's attention.

After a moment, I saw a figure move in the tinted glass window and Chloe's blonde head popping out from underneath it as it rolled down. "Bye Clover! See you tomorrow!"

I was still waving as her car pulled away, Chloe moved a lot and when her dad, Steve, had moved them again they'd come to Syracuse to be near me. I'd been so happy when that had happened, and they'd moved in March of this year so Chloe and I would be together for grade 4. We'd spent the entire summer together and when August came we were together still. Chloe and I hadn't been together last year for our parents' anniversary so Steve was making it up this year by living close to Mom and me.

_Daddy._ It's been four years now since Jenny and Daddy died but they've never faded away from Chloe and I, their memory forever etched into us.

I began the twenty minute walk home. I didn't mind the walk or the dangers, there practically were none, as long as you stayed in public areas and on main roads you were safe enough.

Walking home from school was always relaxing in my books and it was a good way for me to organize my thoughts before I got home.

Mommy would be waiting for me as usual, my mom and I get along alright… most of the time. After Dad died she decided that I might actually mean something to the world and, at the very least, started doing a half-assed job to take care of me. That was a step forward actually; before, when my dad was alive, she couldn't care whether a bus hit me or not.

Still she and I had a strained relationship, like she knew I wasn't her daughter or something crazy like that. It wasn't true obviously, I know that but it's always gnawed at me like somewhere deep in me that said it _was_ true, that I wasn't my mother's legitimate daughter. I shook my head, that's crazy talk I'm turning into Mom.

But still… that damned feeling kept troubling me. Mommy was blonde with brown eyes and had sun kissed skin year round, she basically screamed Californian bottle blonde. Me? Dark hair, bright blue eyes, and a ghostly pale parlour that screamed emo. My near black hair was from my dad, I knew that much, but my blue eyes and pale skin? Neither of my parents had that. So I was stuck in a pickle and forced to live on.

Oh god! I sound like a hormonal 15 year old! I'm only 9! Save me!

I rounded the corner onto my street and stopped short. The road nearest my house was vacated by black SUVs' with windows so tinted that the people inside couldn't see out.

I continued strolling down the street, cautious now. My body and my mind screaming to flee, turn around and get as far away as possible as soon as possible.

But what about Mommy? And Chloe? If I turned around and Mom was being held hostage I could be the one who was at fault for her death because I was a little cry baby and couldn't face my fears. Chloe would be devastated, though, if I died because the people had come after me for only god knows why. I kept ambling towards my house.

I made my way across the small lot of lawn and up the steps of my falling apart house, the rotting wood of the steps groaning underneath my weight. That was saying a lot, I weighed 71 pounds soaking wet could make wooden steps groan, it's just one of the many examples that the house is crumbling before our feet.

Now the challenge was the door, a dead bolt door that kept intruders out and me in most of the time. But it wasn't the lock that made me hesitate, I knew it wasn't locked, it was what I might find beyond the door – images of Mommy gagged and bound with a gun to her temple, a single shot and it was bye-bye Mommy. I loved Mom and didn't wish her dead but would I risk my life to save hers? I jerked my head, don't think about it just go in.

I twisted the knob and nudged the door open; wincing at every creak it made, each sounding like a gunshot.

"Clover?" Mommy called from the kitchen then I heard her socked feet padding down the hall towards me. She rounded the corner and gave me a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Hello sweetie, how was your day?"

"Good we started learning about multiplying fractions," I dropped my knapsack down and kicked off my sneakers. "But Mrs. Pierceton said we wouldn't spend much time on it because we'll learn about it more in grade 5."

She nodded and waved me into the kitchen where my afternoon snack awaited me. After Daddy died she started going to work earlier and coming home earlier, figuring it would be better for her to be home when I got home from school rather than being with me in the morning. Mom was a business woman working for a pharmaceutical company and when she wanted to take earlier shifts they gave her a bit of a fuss but it worked out in the end. So every morning I would hitch a ride with the neighbours to school when Mom left for work and then walk home where Mommy would be waiting for me.

I was halfway through eating my apples and plum sauce when I finally asked her the question I'd needed to know since I saw the SUVs on the street. "Do you know about the people outside?"

She had her back to me so I couldn't see her facial expression but I saw her straightened, the muscles in her shoulder bunched and her back tense and rigid. "No I don't sweetheart," her lie sliced right through me, it didn't matter that she lied but she knew about what was going on. I needed to know too.

"Liar," I muttered and she whirled on me, I shrunk back. "Mom you're not a very good at lying and I just want to know what's going on."

"You need to leave," her voice dripped with venom, I started away from her advancing on me. "Clover you need to go with the people outside and never come back here."

"Why?" I asked her and her face warped into a look of pure disgust. Then I knew, no mother would ever make a face like that to her child – at least that's no _biological_ mother. This woman wasn't my mother; she never truly cared or loved me.

"Because you're a little brat," she spat in my face, I fixed her with a hard look and she looked a bit startled. "You are a freak, a little monster like the rest of them. A failed little beast, you're father was a fool, showering you and spoiling you to no end until he was finally six feet under."

My anger flared and I lashed out at her, but I was only 9 and she was twice my weight and thrice my size. So when my flying fist tried to make contact with her she caught my wrist easily and flung me across the room, I crashed into the wall. Pain exploded in the back of my head and my eyesight blurred.

I felt the traitor grab me and drag me to the door. The sunlight blinded me again, boots clomped on the drive, car engines revved, and I was scared silly. My brain screeching for me not to piss my pants no matter how terrified I was.

"You want her?" the woman who I thought was my mom yelled at the people in suits and some who were wearing dark clothing that looked like hunting gear. "You can have her!" she tossed me toward the closest person, a blonde woman who glared down at me.

"Thank you Tess," a male voice said from the crowd and the blonde woman pulled me away from my life. I struggled; I couldn't let them take away everything I built for myself. What Daddy had built for me.

Suddenly I remembered a lesson that Dad had seared into my head. I'd only been five years old but he wanted to teach me the address of a place just in case something were to happen to me and he wasn't able to save me.

_Flashback_

"_Clover please I need you to listen to me," Daddy knelt down and caught my chin in his hand. "This is very important and I want you to learn it right away just in case something were to occur and you need to run." _

"_Why would I run?" I asked and gave him a puzzled look. I was only 5 but with going to regular school then coming home and having Daddy home school me, I had the IQ of at least an 8 year old. "Daddy will protect me and we go together." _

"_I know baby, but you still need to listen to me," he picked me up and pulled me into his lap. Mommy was gone and Daddy and I were playing but he needed to tell me something, important apparently too. _

_I nodded and he wrote down something on a piece of paper. "No matter what you don't throw this paper out," he held the paper in front of me and I told him I understood. _

_I looked at the paper; in Daddy's untidy scrawl was an address: __Jeremy Danvers, 13876 Wilton Grove Lane, Bear Valley, New York._

"_Who's Jeremy Danvers?" I asked him. _

"_He's a werewolf and that's where he lives with his Pack," Daddy gauged my reaction when he saw there wasn't one he sighed. "Werewolves exist Clo, supernaturals are real."_

_Daddy was being silly but I kept the torn sheet still, just in case. _

_Flashback over_

At the time I thought Dad was either trying to scare me or was just being ridiculous as usual. Now, I wasn't so sure.

The sheet was still in my room, tucked underneath my socks safely out of reach of my mom. It didn't matter, after Dad died I made sure I memorized the address but I'd always said to myself that I was being paranoid. Dad's protective streak rubbing off on me, always on high alert.

Paranoid? No, just extremely cautious, and that caution would've paid off if I'd just listened to my intuition and allowed my body to run away like it had wanted to. Damn it! I'm so stupid; I continued to resist with the woman, my mind screaming to get away and run like hell away from this.

"Feisty little bitch, isn't she?" the woman's vise-grip tightened around my arm even more. "Sedate her."

Hands clamped down on my limbs but I still fought back. When I felt the needle poke my arm a lead weight settled into my stomach, cold, pure fear ran through me.

_I'm going to die!_ Screamed through my brain, my body suddenly felt very heavy like I hadn't slept for days and was finally getting permitted to. The iciness of sleep raced through my body and I had to battle to stay awake, the blackness reach my brain and I couldn't fight anymore.

My vision blurred and the world swayed, my conscience slipping back into an easier time.

Daddy's rich laugh, Jenny's tinkling giggle, Chloe's and me rolling in the tall grass. Safe and sound with our parents to protect us.

I blinked and dimly saw the blue sky and the sun disappearing as I was towed into the back of a van. I closed my eyes again, going back to my happy place.

Black and white curls ruffling in the breeze, porcelain the shade of snow only marred by slivery swirls on the skin, and a flash of molten azure. My eyes.

I fell into the endless abyss.

* * *

><p>My body felt so heavy, I didn't want to wake up. Mommy could just phone in and tell them I wasn't feeling well, we could stay home and have a jammy day.<p>

My bed felt hard and cold instead of fluffy and warm. I realized my head wasn't on a pillow or my blanket, underneath my fingers was metal.

I tried opening my eyes but it felt like they were sewn together, I had to pry them open. Even still my vision was hazy and the bright light above me stung my eyes.

I swallowed and found out that I couldn't, my throat was too dry and I gagged. My mouth felt fuzzy and tasted weird, like waking up after a long sleep and your mouth was so parched that you couldn't talk.

I blinked to clear my eyes of sleep then took in my surroundings. Everything in this room was modern and sanitary, or so I sincerely hoped it was. Too sanitary actually, like in operating rooms at a hospital. What was this place? Too sanitary, metal instruments, a counter with a steel sink, machinery like at hospitals. A hospital but not a hospital, this place was a scientific laboratory. My thoughts reeled at the conclusion.

A voice from my left then another and another. More voices followed, I caught my name and Chloe's too. My eyes snapped open, my thoughts racing through the possibilities of Chloe being caught with me. No not Chloe, please not Chloe!

"…the other one, Chloe, wasn't there," a male said. What was he talking about? "Weren't they supposed to be together?"

The relief I felt at that moment was so great that I almost smiled, Chloe was safe. We were supposed to have a play date today but we cancelled it this morning when Harry, Chloe's driver, told me that Chloe had a rescheduled swimming lesson after school and that tomorrow she could come over. If we hadn't cancelled then Chloe would be here as well, that thought sacred me but at least it wasn't real.

Chloe was safe and that's what mattered.

"Shhh I think she's waking up," a woman's voice then feet shuffling across the linoleum. I shut my eyes quickly before they knew I heard their conversation.

A hand pressed against my forehead.

"Clover?" a new woman's breath tickled my face. That voice, I knew that voice. I'd heard it just a few days ago when Chloe's aunt, Lauren, had come to pick her up.

I groaned, making it look like I was just waking up. That traitor! Lauren was sweet and kind to Chloe and I, she'd even taken us for ice cream last week when we'd completed our first month of grade 4. I liked her a lot, she was just like Jenny but not.

Lauren was a bit stricter but Chloe said she didn't used to be like that. Jenny's death didn't just take a toll on Chloe and I, Steve and Lauren were affected too. Steve worked more often and left Chloe in the care of housekeepers and drivers while Lauren spent as much time as she could with Chloe. Lauren disapproved of Steve's behaviour towards Chloe, leaving a girl alone with maids after her mother died and depriving Chloe of the essential fatherly shoulder to cry on and consol with. Chloe thinks it's because he's trying to avoid her but not because he doesn't love her, Steve does very much, but because Chloe looks like Jenny.

Still I knew Steve loved his daughter greatly, I'd seen it when he surprised her last year by picking her up after school and taking her and I to the mall. It wasn't the novelty of spoiling his daughter and her best friend that made me realize that he loved Chloe. When she took hold of his hand, he beamed at her and kissed her head. The littlest gestures that they had showed that they loved each other; even if Chloe's dad was estranged he still loved her.

After Jenny died Chloe's dad had done the right thing, given her space to grieve; I was the opposite, I needed somebody to hold me and tell me it was going to be alright and that they love me. Mom didn't do that, I was locked in my room and left to deal with the emptiness I felt weighing me down so heavily. But at least Chloe was there, if she hadn't been then I was sure that I wouldn't be who I was today.

"Clover, hon?" Lauren's concern hit me and I felt angry with her. I opened one eye and sure enough Lauren was standing over me, her young face lined with worry. With straight pale blonde hair, Persian blue eyes and a round face, Lauren was quite average for a 30 year old but she was still pretty.

"Clover, how are you feeling?" a man who looked like a vulture leaned down assess me with his beady eyes.

I open my mouth to speak but the words couldn't come out, my throat was still too dry. I sat up but then found out that I couldn't do that either, I was strapped to the steel table.

Oh my god! I'd seen this before in a scary movie, the scared, helpless girl chain to a metal table so she wouldn't escape when the mad scientist started poking and prodding her until she didn't have a voice to scream anymore. I thrashed against the manacles but Lauren stopped me.

"Clover, if you are going to be difficult then we can't untie you but if you are willing to listen to us then we can arrange for you to be in a different sleeping quarters," the man had this look on his face like he was bidding me to trust him, genial and kind but I wasn't having any of his BS. But I played along with his petty little game; if it got me out of here then I'd grit my teeth and cooperate with it.

I nodded and heard the snap of the restraints freeing me but I didn't move, not until Lauren helped me up and off the table. The world tipped when my feet hit the ground and I lost my balance, my legs felt like hundred pound weights trying to be lifted by a person with no muscle whatsoever. Lauren and Mr. Vulture man tired to help me regain my balance but whatever they gave me, they gave me a bit too much and I couldn't walk. After I was given metallic tasting water to help clear my throat and mouth of the dehydration they plopped me in a wheelchair and rolled me to a different room.

A bedroom like room to be exact, too cheery and bright. My eyes hurt from the artificial light coming from the room to make up for the fact that there was no windows and no natural sunlight. I rubbed them and squinted until they adjusted.

"This will be your temporary bedroom until we figure out what to do with you," the guard who was pushing me said with a sneer worthy of a child. Mr. Vulture waved him away and wheeled me to the bed.

I scrambled out of it and onto the bed, the door closing almost the whole way leaving just a crack open so he could get out. He put the wheelchair near the door then turned at me with an amiable smile so fake it almost made me laugh. I chomped on my cheek to keep me from smiling, I was to play model patient – follow the rules and be sugary sweet and then backstab them when they least expected it. But first I had to gain their trust or some of it at least.

So I fixed Mr. Vulture with a syrupy smile, showing him I was willing to be pleasant and that I'd just been startled to rouse and find myself chained to a table. His grin widened when he saw my expression, god sometimes I love how adults are such fools, this was going to be easier than I thought.

"Sorry about the restraints and we didn't want you to wake up like that," he sat next to me on the bed, far enough to not invade my personal space but close enough for it to be uncomfortable. "Clover, do you know why you are here?"

I shook my head, my hair flipping back and forth with the movement. I didn't even know this guy's name much less where I was and why I was here.

"I should probably introduce myself first before I start asking questions and answering yours," his thin lips twisted into a wry smirk. "I'm Dr. Davidoff."

Dr. Davidoff was extremely tall and hunched like he had to lean down to hear what others were saying so he'd permanently stayed that way. He was nearly bald aside from a thin halo of greasy hair and a big sharp nose that held glasses to hide is beady eyes. I didn't think his name fit him that well so non-verbally I would call him Dr. Vulture.

"The reason that you are here," he continued. "Is because you are special."

Where'd I heard that before? From every adult trying to reassure you that special was good. Tell me something I don't know.

"Clover, you are a necromancer," Dr. Davidoff assessed my reaction through his glasses then pushed them into place. When he saw my blank but confused look he explained what he meant. "A necromancer is a type of supernatural that can communicate with the deceased and some powerful ones can even resurrect the dead."

Okay, there's something I don't know.

Fright muddled my brain, the dead. Communicate with the dead, maybe even raise them but as I continued listening to Dr. Davidoff I learnt that if a necromancer does raise a corpse that the body will still rot and the zombie will be theirs to control. A zombie who didn't have any say at whether or not it wanted to do something, it had to obey its master and their word actually made a zombie do things.

"You'll learn more later but I want you to know that Tess does work for us and that she isn't your biological mother. She was merely your caregiver until we were ready to see you and make sure you were alright."

She didn't do a very good job though. I didn't say that out loud but the distaste must've shown on my face because Dr. Davidoff squirmed.

"We'll speak later, for now you should sleep and regain your strength," he patted my head as he stood. "Tomorrow I hope that you will be rested enough to take a look around this place."

I nodded; throughout that entire conversation I hadn't said a word. Just nod for yes or shake for no. Dr. Davidoff left and I was left alone.

I analysed the predicament that I'd gotten myself into. If Daddy was here he'd save me and run like a bat outta hell with me in tow and once we were somewhere safe he'd make sure I was alright. He wouldn't yell at me about how I was stupid enough to get here, he wouldn't hit me – he never did hit me, the thought never crossed his mind and he knew it was cruel. He'd assure me it was okay that I'd messed up and train me as best as he could so I'd be prepared just in case it happened again.

But Daddy wasn't here; he would never be there for me again. Tears sprung into my eyes and I wiped them away before they could fall. I had to think of a plan to get myself out of here, so far I had to play perfect little angel to gain their trust then plot an escape but for that I needed a vague idea of the building structure and where everything was.

_Even if you do gain their trust and somehow break out of here where would you go?_

Ah I was waiting for my inner voice to surface and question my every move. I knew this was going to be asked, I would go to Chloe and take refuge with her.

_Good plan until Steve and Chloe figure out that you're crazy and send you back here. Remember they want Chloe too so you need to stay away from her if you want her to be safe. _

Damn my inner voice, go away. It's the only escape option I have right now. And Chloe has a right to know.

_You can't go rambling about supernaturals through the streets of New York; you'll be in a padded room at the New York State Asylum for the Insane in no time. And you don't even know if Chloe's a supernatural and besides Dr. Vulture said that you're powers won't even come in until you're a teen so isn't it better for Chloe not to know at the moment. _

She had a point but still I felt like Chloe wasn't going to be safe for very long, I needed to warn her about her aunt. Lauren was a traitor, her betrayal was even worse than Tess's. I wasn't going to call her Mom anymore because she wasn't my mother, and she had no right to the title anymore.

_Be hurt about Lauren and Tess's betrayal later. For now you need a plan to get out of here and you can't go to Chloe, to keep her safe you can't see her again. You can't go to anyone if you escape, at least not anyone who you don't know is a supernatural. _

Well then I'm screwed. Thanks a lot but I don't know anyone who's a supernatural!

_Jeremy Danvers._

Hope raced through me so fast it hurt. Yes! Jeremy Danvers was the answer! Dad had said he was a werewolf and that's where his Pack lived with him. He could help me, but did he want to? For all I knew this guy could be a dead beat and kill me as soon as he saw me.

_It's the only option you have. And would you really think that Daddy would want you to go to a person who might kill you?_

True. A sardonic smile settled on my lips. I was going to get out of here, dead or alive but preferably alive. If I had to make a deal with the devil I would get out of this hell on earth.

I crawled under the covers, exhaustion taking over and mingle with the remaining sedative. The sheets were cool at first but after a few seconds a warm air blew over me and I was wisped into the land of dreams. Or nightmares, I was too tired to know and didn't really care.

I'd get out of here and run to Jeremy, and then I'd be safe with him. After being betrayed and broken I knew I would be out of harm's way with Jeremy Danvers

But for now I was a guinea pig used for experimentation at the will of crazy scientists.

And I was scared to death.

**A/N:**

**AAAAAAHHHHH!**

**Damn it poor Clover! Screw the damned Edison Group! **

**Review please!**

**Thanks Shawna~~~~**


	3. Chapter 2: Escape

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or HON or WOTO**

Chapter Two: Escape

_October 10__th__, 2004_

Clover's POV:

Dad knew he that he was going to die.

He'd known he was going to die so he'd taught me everything he could and made sure Tess wasn't able to be as close to me as she might've wanted to be. No matter how much it nauseated Tess, she was supposed to take care of me and act like a motherly figure. I'd figured that much out in the five days I've been here, the five days the mad scientist tortured me endlessly.

Well not exactly, Dr. Davidoff has been trying and trying to make me feel like this is my new, permanent home but I'm relentless to believe that. Only two of my five days here have been used for research on me, and even then it's only for blood work and physical exams on my body. Both procedures were done by Lauren, Chloe's aunt and a traitor, whom I still kinda trusted.

"I wonder what Daddy would do in a situation like this?" I murmured to myself, my soft voice echoing off the walls. "I wonder if Dad knew I was a necromancer all this time. I wonder if Jenny knew that too."

Was Dad even my real father? And who was my mother? Necromancy was hereditary, so which side of my family did I get it from? Also, what about me? They said I was a failed experiment so what was going to happen to me and my life now? There were so many questions that I've asked and asked but never have gotten the right answers for. I sat up, I'd been lying on the carpeted floor of my room so I crawled over to my bed and sat there.

There were no kids my age lurking around this place so it got pretty lonely, especially when I'm taken to a playground setting and there's no one else to play with other than a rigid guard that wasn't very friendly. There are only adults here and nearly all of them believe I'm a little monster, an abomination. A failed experiment.

I shook my head. Keep your thoughts happy Clover, or you'll go crazy in no time.

I'm not always subjugated to my room/cell, the reason I say that is because there are no windows and the door was steel with no doorknob. The day after my capture by the Edison Group, Dr. Davidoff took me on the grand tour of the building; showing me all the different rooms and the security room and he even took me to his library where I read about necromancers. Day two was when I got blood taken by Lauren, it didn't hurt very much but she took me to the kitchen for ice cream afterwards and I met André who helped me with my powers. Day three was when I was taken to a playground and got my first glimpse of sunlight but the visit there was very lonesome and the playground was small with eight foot tall cement walls encasing me in. Day four Lauren did a physical exam on me, the basic checking my heartbeat, feeling my stomach to see if anything was wrong, blah, blah, blah. I was so tempted to fake being sick so they'd take me out of here but I didn't. Today was day five and it was almost noon and I've been stuck in my room the entire day.

Diane Enright brought my breakfast to me this morning instead of Dr. Davidoff or André coming to get me and take me to the kitchen for breakfast. When I asked her where they were her face scrunched up and, with a sneer, she told me he was busy. I never liked her much, she was just like Tess. A bottle blonde stuck up bitch.

No, Diane and Tess may be very alike in many ways but Diane was heartless, Tess had some sort of heart inside of her or she'd have kept being a cruel bitch to me after Dad died. Diane Enright and Tess Nicholson weren't exactly alike but I still hated both women with great passion.

As for André, he was a necromancer who immigrated to Canada from France when he was a teenager, currently he was 31. He lived in Québec where he met his wife, who'd died when the Edison Group wanted André but he didn't want to join them so they'd killed her, she had been unknowingly pregnant with their first child. He was the only one I could truly trust around this joint, he knew everything about me, even my plans to escape. He hated the Edison Group, they killed his wife so why wouldn't he, hence he promised to help me escape. André gained my trust and love by telling me all this, I knew he wasn't lying, and I gained his by telling him my own story and plans. The only thing I hadn't told André was about Jeremy Danvers and the fact that I knew about werewolves, well I wasn't sure about the werewolves' part.

"Mademoiselle MacUallis," a sonorous voice with a French enunciation slithered from the doorway. I turned to see a tall man with brown wavy hair peeking through the doorway. Speak of the devil and he shall come.

"André!" I launched myself into his arms and he hugged me back. He'd been helping me with my powers, every since I learned what I was I've been seeing snippets of spirits. "Bonjour André, comment allez-vous?"

"Je suis bien, _mon petit moineau_," he picked me up and carried me to the bed; he sat down with me on his lap. As he stroked my hair I closed my eyes and relaxed.

I didn't know a lot of French but I knew enough to hold up for a few sentences, and I knew enough to know what André said sometimes. The first time he called me _petit moineau_ I thought he was insulting me because I only knew the word for little but he explained that he was calling me little sparrow. He called me that because I reminded him of the sparrows flittering around and chirping, even when I was in a place not meant for children. I liked André the most because he reminded me of Dad, not physically of course but André cared about me even when others wanted to kill me.

"Clover, how are you feeling?" he asked, his rumbling voice vibrated against my cheek. "What I mean to say is that you've been through a lot and you disclose yourself from everyone, except me."

"André, I don't trust them, you know that, they don't make me feel loved like you do and they scare me. My mother figure betrayed me, Lauren lied to both Chloe and I and everything is just so messed up now!"

"I know, _mon petit moineau_, I know," he whispered and wiped away my tears and rocked me back and forth. "This place isn't for you, you know that I'm trying to figure out how to sneak you out without them knowing and seeing. It's hard Clover, I've been trying to get out for years but I've never had the motivation or cause until you came along."

"I'm trying Clover, you and I will be out by the end of November and I'll take you back to France with me. We'll simply disappear and, when the times right, we'll return and regroup with the others and take down this place."

"That sounds nice! I really want to see France, from what you tell me it's a really wonderful place!"

"It is," he beamed then frowned. "Come along Clover. Someone wishes your audience, though I doubt you'll want hers. I'm sorry mademoiselle."

I scrambled away from his lap, crawled around him and mounted onto his back. "Onward my sturdy steed!" I pointed for the door and clasped his neck so I wouldn't fall off. He laughed and kissed my head.

"Here we go Clover, are you ready?" he stood, reached back and shifted me so both he and I were comfortable. When I nodded he took off running and spinning us around while I squealed with glee.

We kept fooling around until I nearly fell off his back and a scientist shot us a dirty look. Then he walked slowly and piggybacked me as we talked about miscellaneous things. When we round a corner he stopped, at the end of the hall was the kitchen.

"Clover, you know I hated keeping secrets from you," he said and shifted me again.

"And you know I hate surprises and secrets too," I grinned, he was too much of a friend to me. He knew me so well even after such little time we've spent together.

"Oui," he continued. "Mademoiselle Nicholson is on other side of the kitchen doors and requests your audience. She wishes to speak with you but she did not want you to know she was here until you walked through the doors and saw her."

"Because she wanted me to see the perfect act she put on, to see the sad face she painted on this morning. To make me feel regret for ever disliking her," I muttered. I didn't feel any regret for her, her loss was my gain, I was happy I wasn't blood related to her.

He set me on my feet and took my hand, at 6'1" André towered a good foot and a half over my petite 4'5". "Unfortunately I believe you are correct, child. I do think that she feels the slightest remorse for you, but not in the way you want and need her to feel. She's sorry that you're a failed experiment and didn't want this for you but she doesn't regret the decision to turn you in to the Edison Group."

"But I need to talk with her," I said confidently. "I have a lot of questions for her. Will you stay with me?"

"Of course, _mon petit moineau_," he pulled me along, keeping me close and whispering encouraging words to me, some in French and some in English. When we reached the kitchen he hesitated and knelt down to murmur to me. "You're plan to act like a perfect little angel is working, most seem like they rather see you dead but it's not true. They don't believe you're any more harm than a regular human child but you have more power within you than I do and you're only 9."

"You're the only one I've told that I see ghosts, they don't know a thing," I muttered back fervently. He tugged my pendant out from underneath my shirt, we hadn't talked about it much but I knew my necklace was important.

"Do not ever lose this," he said firmly. "Clover this is an amulet to keep ghosts away, well not exactly. A lapis is created to keep a necromancers glow small and with a tiny glow not many ghosts will be as eager to speak to you. There are some ghosts around here and even with this and the faded glow of a child they still say that you have great potential."

I nodded but didn't say a thing, he leaned in closer and I felt his warm breath tickle my ear. "Once you go back to your room dress in the warmest clothes you have, dress in layers and wear long johns, boots and your fall jacket. I'm going to try to see if I can take you outside the Edison Group, I'll try to persuade Marcel to let you out so I can take you to dinner."

I knew what he meant and I nodded. He opened the door to the kitchen and shuffled me in. There were three tables; Tess sat at the middle one, twiddling her thumbs.

"Clover," she straightened when I slid into the seat opposite from her. "How are you, sweetheart?"

I bit back the urge to bark back and scream at her; instead I remained calm and composed and chose my words carefully since we were on camera. "I'm good."

"Thank you André for bringing her, you can leave," Tess barely glanced at him, her eyes were all for me. Great so now she truly cares.

"Clover wishes for me to stay here with her and give her…" he trailed off deliberately and thought for a moment. He grinned. "And give her support."

She gave him a dismissive wave. "Whatever. Clover, I want you to know how sorry I am."

"For me being a failed experiment," I sounded emotionless and cool. "But you don't care whether they kill me or not, whether I achieve control of my powers or never is able to control them."

She sat there her mouth hanging open like she dislocated her jaw; I knew she was racking her brain to say something back that didn't sound snippy and child-like.

"Tess, what kind of supernatural are you?"

She blinked. "Why don't you call me Mom anymore?"

"Because you're not my birth mother and maybe if you treated me a lot better I might've been okay with that. However you didn't, you lost the privilege to ever be my mom a long time ago but I kept loving you because I thought you were my mother."

"I hated the fact that they just gave you and your father to me. That they expect me to just accept you and love you like you were my own, but you weren't. But I still tried because you needed to be kept safe."

That stung a little. "So if you didn't want me then why didn't you ask them for someone else to take me? And you still haven't answered my first question yet."

"They wouldn't let you go with anyone else and frankly I didn't want to let you go so I didn't make a comment. And to answer your first question I'm a witch."

So she was a witch, huh? Now I'm wondering if all witches are bitches. "That doesn't make any sense. You want me but you don't. Tess, please, I need these answers."

"A little while after your father died I saw that you were trying to get closer to me. I can't understand how a child's mind works and you always kept me at arm's length before Evan died so I was wondering why you were coming onto me," her tone softened a bit.

"Tess, before Dad died," my voice cracked and I was struggling to keep myself from crying and stuttering, "you were barely ever at home and when you were you always brought this cold air with you. After Dad died I needed comfort but you never gave it to me so I worked for it myself. I was only 5, I needed someone to help me through his death, I needed a mom."

She was speechless so I decided to move toward the big kill. It might make her very angry or she might not even answer me. "So I'm assuming the person who I called Dad was my actual father. But do you know who my biological mother was?"

"Huh?" she looked a bit startled. "Oh, um yes, Evan was your father. I don't know for sure who your biological mother was but Evan seemed to love Jennifer very much."

Wait, Dad and Jenny? Jenny couldn't possibly be my – oh shit! Jenny had blue eyes and pale skin. Also, people always asked Chloe and me if we were related, because we had the same azure eyes and facial structure. But that's impossible; Chloe and I were born on the same day and were the same age too, if Jenny was my birth mother then Chloe and I –

"No," my voice was hard and had the slightest bits of anger seeping around the edges. "Jenny isn't my mother."

"I wouldn't be so sure," she stood up to leave but hesitated. "André, can I have a word with you?"

Their dark eyes met and a wordless conversation was exchanged. Then André stood and walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway with Tess. I could still see their figures in the frosted glass and after a few minutes André returned without Tess.

"Tess has left so we can have lunch," André didn't face me; instead he turned to the counter and began making sandwiches. "After we're finished eating I have to go back and do some tests on the blood that had been taken from you."

André was a scientist too; that's initially why the Edison Group wanted him, because he was a geneticist. He studies a person's genetics through their blood and other bodily fluids; he's able to decipher where a person comes from and some genetic anomalies that may occur in a person's blood. I don't know how and why he did it because it sounded very boring and hard to do. But he was very valuable to the Edison Group, he was a great scientist and a supernatural and that was what secured him a job in this hell hole.

We ate our lunch in silence, which is unusually for both of us; we shared stories over lunch and talked about world news. André was intrigued by my intelligence and once admitted, with a rare flush, that sometimes he forgot that I was only 9. Then he'd told me that overlooking the fact that I was a mere child was dangerous and he had to work on remembering that. I couldn't disagree with his statement.

After we were done he took me back to my room and told me he'd be back for me by 6:30 pm. Then he left, giving me about six hours to lounge around and sleep.

I knew I had to rest so I set the alarm clock on the bedside table for 4:30 pm then crawled under the warm covers and took a good, long, dreamless nap.

* * *

><p>An annoying beeping sound woke me. I slapped my hand down on the off button, sat up and stretched. A few bones creaked (which was really scary considering my age) but I felt really good. Then I remember what I was supposed to do.<p>

With a groan I slipped out of bed and stripped down to take a shower. I've been washing myself for years now, before he died Daddy would've made the perfect housewife – er I mean husband. But once he was gone it was all up to me to clean and clothe myself; Tess bought me clothes, made me food, and paid for me but that was it. The rest was up to me.

And in a place like this I'm pretty sure that if I asked a person – even a woman – to help bathe me I'd get a really disgusted look. Furthermore, I'm positive that they're happy to know I'm potty trained.

In my shower I replayed the floor plan of the building. Three floors, one was storage I think and I only say that because it was above this floor and I've never been up there. The floor I was on – the second floor – was where all the room/cells were, the security room and where the doctor's room was and Dr. Davidoff's office. The first floor was where the lab, surgery room, school area, playground and other stuff was. I didn't know the route André wanted to take but with three years of gymnastics (Chloe and I needed to learn how to be a bit less clumsy) up my sleeve I'm sure I could make it over an eight foot wall.

I had to keep in mind of the security cameras; there weren't any in the rooms or in Dr. Davidoff's office but they were everywhere else. Even outside the compound. I shook my head and turned off the shower, stepped out, dried myself off and put my hair in a towel turban then wrapped the fleece robe around myself then got into my post shower routine.

Rubbed some baby cream on my face, then unravelled the turban, wrenched a brush through my hair then blow dried my hair. Turning off the hair dryer I felt an odd sense of déjà vu, I did this every morning before breakfast. It was so familiar I nearly forgot where I was.

I stomped out into the room, super mad at myself. I yanked on my many layers of clothes; long johns underneath my jeans and about four layers of upper wear – tee shirt, long sleeved shirt, a fleece sweatshirt and my cozy and warm fall jacket. Of course I wouldn't put on my jacket or boots until André came to get me, turns out, in this place, that my happiness was what they wanted the most. When I asked for boots and a warm autumn coat they didn't question me, it was the beginning of October and it was getting nippy outside. I'd also asked for a back pack, I got a few inquiring looks then but I'd said that I was just for emergencies – I still think I lost some brownie points with the back pack. Damn!

I filled the small knap sack with my toothbrush, toothpaste, two extra long sleeved shirts, my hair brush, and a tube of lip balm. I kept mentally cursing the damn scientists and guards for not letting me sneak granola bars, rice crispy squares, and other snacks back to my room. Hopefully André would cover food, and buying other things. Then I remembered the wad of twenty dollar bills André given me and stuffed it into my left boot, I'd counted it off yesterday and found nearly two hundred dollars.

I wandered back into the bathroom and stared in the mirror for nearly ten minutes. My straight long hair fell to the middle of my back; I knew it could get in the way when I tried to escape so I braided it. Then I officially stated I was done.

I checked the time once I returned to the room; 6 pm, okay so I had a half hour before André would come to retrieve me. I busied myself by triple checking that I had everything and that I was wearing as many layers as possible. Quarter after six, I pulled my boots and jacket on then mentally prepared and waited.

Five minutes later I was beginning to have self doubts, thanks to the seeds of uncertainty that Tess planted years ago. What if I wasn't good enough to escape? What if André and I were caught and killed? What if André's plan failed and somehow only I got out? What would I do then?

_Go back to your original escape plan._

My original escape plan?

_Jeremy Danvers?_

Right. My inner voice sighed, frustrated with me. I'd hit a stroke of pure luck when André and I were introduced, he knew this place better than I did and I had a person on the inside I could trust. But if André failed or betrayed me then I had a backup plan.

My head jerked, no! André wouldn't ever betray me. I waited in silence for my inner voice to disagree with me, nothing came.

I checked the clock again, two minutes until André was supposed to come. I watched the clock as it ticked away those last two minutes. Then 6:30 came.

A mere second after the clock struck 6:30 pm the door opened to reveal a man. A tall dark haired man.

But it wasn't André.

I'd never seen this man before, or at least I thought I didn't. Somewhere deep in my subconscious a little alarm rang saying that this man was one I could downright trust with my heart and soul.

"Are you all right?" his rich baritone dripped with the upmost concern, but when he took a step toward me I shrunk away. Then he smiled a smile so small and sad that I wanted to pounce on him and give him all my love.

Instead I steeled myself for the foray of armed guards to pour in. When that didn't come I turned to the man and questioned him. "Who are you and where's André?"

"Who I am is not of any importance and something aroused with your caregiver and a witch."

"What do you mean? Something happened to André!"

"Now is not the time child!" he sailed toward me and picked me up. "I need to get you out of here and to safety. You are in danger here; you always were and always will be."

"I have no idea who you are!"

"But you trust me, even without knowing my name and much less who and what I am, you trust me entirely. Correct?"

I nodded and clung to him. "Take me to André, please. I need to see him. If you know me then you know that I need to see André!"

As he was running throughout the halls he explained to me. "Diane Enright and André got into a farce; the Edison Group didn't trust him anymore so they eliminated the threat."

Fear, anger, and sorrow zinged through me, tears pricked my eyes. "He'd told Dr. Davidoff about his idea of taking me out to dinner and they knew he wasn't going to take me to dinner. He was going to escape with me, they knew that and they killed him because they need me."

"Yes, I'm very sorry Clover," he whispered in my ear as we descended down the stairs to the first level. "A supernatural geneticist, while rare, is replaceable. You, an extremely powerful genetically modified necromancer, are not and that is what got him killed. It's not your fault, it is theirs, they did this to you and they will pay one day. But my soul duty right now is to get you out."

I knew it wasn't my fault, that I had no idea of what André's plan was or what might've been his motives to get me out. But I still felt guilty because it was what I was – who I am – that got him killed initially. The mere thought of escaping with me got André killed.

André… another fatherly figure of mine was dead. Yet again, because of me.

"We're almost out, how come no one has noticed us?" I asked the mysterious man. "Usually when I'm taken out of my cell I'm guarded and sometimes a guard is posted in front of my door.

"I cut off all the security cameras and alarms and my power is invisibility. No one can see us or hear us, just so long as you are with me but if you were to let go of me then you would be seen. But I believe that they are just figuring out that the security is off and that you are not where you are supposed to be."

I didn't say anything more. A minute later, though, an alarm started screeching through the hallways. The man cursed and released me.

"Keep running, go straight until you reach a dead end then turn left and keep going," he said in a rush. "There's a hole in the wall at the end of the hall, go out of it and you're free. Run to the forest and don't stop, not until you're sure you can't run anymore."

I nodded and took off and, in my haste; I blindly dropped my back pack. A bullet whizzed past my shoulder, and grazed me, cutting through the many layers of clothing and slicing my shoulder. I heard the commotion ensuing behind me and squeezed my eyes close, and kept rushing through the building.

I followed his directions, not stopping for anything or anyone. When I reached the end of the last hall sure enough there was a hole the same size of me, through it the cool evening air rushed into the building. I barely paused to think about why and how it was there. I jumped out and sprinted into the woods.

I ran and ran and ran. No matter how much my body pleaded me to stop, how much the fire burned my lungs I couldn't and didn't stop. When my legs gave way or when I tripped over a root I stumbled back up again and kept running.

I fell but unlike the other time I didn't get up and wheezed until I caught my breath. Then I curled up and cried.

Somewhere through the dry heaves and the full out screaming I fell asleep. I vaguely remember the sun of dawn lighting the trees when I fell asleep.

I woke the next day around noon and stumbled through the woods until night fall, and then I found a little bunker in the forest and fell into the world of nightmares.

In the days that followed I realized that money was worthless when you don't know where the hell you are and when, as far as I know, you don't know shit where the nearest civilization is. I could be just meters away from a town or, at the very least, a road or a thousand miles away. I didn't know what the hell to do out here.

I didn't have food, I drank dirty water (at least it kept me alive), and my back pack was lost when I was scurrying to get out of the compound. I was beginning to think of little forest animals scuttling by as food, the days and nights blended together. I didn't know anything but trying to survive.

I was losing myself.

Days or weeks later I tripped on an uprooted tree. And didn't get up again.

**A/N:**

**Awww poor Clover, she's struggling to survive! Okay so I'll try to have more chapters up quickly but the school year is starting and it might put updates behind a little. But I'll try my best!**

**R&R PLEASE!**

**Thanks Shawna~~~**


	4. Chapter 3: History Repeating

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP or HON or WOTO**

Chapter Three: History Repeating

_October 14__th__, 2004_

Third POV:

The three men argued over a business opportunity. Well, at least two of the three men, the tallest just stood there rather awkwardly and only inputting small noises of agreement when he was looked to.

The other two men kept bickering, but the third man was too distracted to even notice them. Something else kept drawing his attention to the forest.

He shook his head sharply and willed for his friend to finish up quickly so they could go. It must be the fact that he hadn't Changed in a few days, but then again he never felt the greatest urges to shift forms usually. Not like the others.

But he knew that it wasn't the allure of the Change, it was his other "sixth sense" that made his dark eyes wander to the trees. Was something out there? He nonchalantly tilted his face up the slightest and sniffed, the wind blew past but he didn't smell anything strange, just the annoying scent of humans.

He sighed, muted to his companion and the business man. His feet began to move on their own and he budged toward the tree line, if something was out there then it was his duty to make sure it wasn't anything that could endanger his family and Pack.

"Jer?" he turned back to his best friend and saw the business man yelling into his phone. "Something wrong?"

Jeremy opened his mouth to lie but he couldn't, it was Antonio and he would know better. "I'll be right back Tonio, finish up here and come then come and get me."

"Yeah just gimme a second and I'll tell Bradford that we'll pick this up tomorrow."

"No Antonio, this is important to you and the company," Jeremy said. "I won't go far and it doesn't smell like a mutt is out there but if it is I'll holler. I don't need to be babysat every five minutes."

Antonio grunted but promised he'd finish up quickly and join up with him. With that Jeremy sauntered into the forest, he didn't even stop at the tree line to sniff for an enemy. He just knew that whatever was beckoning him into the woods wasn't able to hurt him or had no intentions of attacking.

After a few minutes of walking casually and brushing his bangs back impatiently, Jeremy decided that once he got back to Stonehaven he'd have Elena give him a haircut. No matter how treacherous that may be. The chilly wind nipped at his cheeks and his hair flew in front of his eyes, and an impatient brush to put it back in place. He drew in a deep breath and blew it out in content.

He liked autumn a lot, the different colours, the scents, the sights, and the sounds. And the relief of cool weather after a scorching summer under a pound or so of fur made for cold temperatures.

He kept strolling along the path, not really thinking about anything just enjoying the October climate until a haunting pair of green orbs popped into his mind. The barest of smiles touched his lips; he'd been unusually happy when Paige had called a council meeting in Buffalo for the 18th. It meant he could see Jaime again.

It was only at the beginning of August that Jeremy felt the first pings of romantic feelings for Jaime. In the same month he'd blasted her for coming up with a plan that had many dangers, but it had worked and he'd felt sorry for being so cold to her. Jaime had understood and she'd forgiven him.

"_It's okay Jeremy, I understand," she'd said. "Your family and Pack comes first, and when something threatens them it's your instinct to protect them. But when one is hurt, one is pregnant and everything is just really messed up your primary instinct is to take them somewhere safe and far away from the threat. I understand and you're forgiven."_

It was then that he'd realized that he'd have to work to be truly forgiven; he didn't expect Jaime to just up and excuse his brash behaviour. Since then he'd begun seeing her in a different way, the way she held herself, the faint smile that graced her lips when she found something amusing, the little things that made her Jaime.

Then there had been thoughts of painting Jaime naked, seeing her body –

He stopped, his thoughts halted abruptly, and dropped to one knee to get a better smell. A human had gone through this forest, yes many humans' scents crisscrossed on the path but none had veered more than a foot or so away from it.

This human's odour went straight across the path and into the foliage again. And it reeked of fear and the underlying scent of death, whatever had happened to this person they'd been dying when the stumbled across the place.

Jeremy ventured off the trail and into the trees and not ten feet away a body lay on top of the undergrowth. It lay on its side; the persons back faced Jeremy, a tiny body. A child.

As Jeremy ambled closer to the child he saw the dark braid poking out from underneath the clothes. He presumed it was most likely a girl. Finally he reached the body and his suspicions were confirmed, a young girl. She looked no more than 8 years old, if that, she looked even younger.

He bent to check her pulse, though he could hear the small fluttering from inside her chest, and felt the weakening flow of her blood. She was dying. Jeremy stood, ready to turn back and get Antonio so they could figure out what to do with her.

Then her shape blurred, Jeremy blinked. The young girl's form shifted until she was no longer a girl. Instead a young boy lay in her place; he was filthy and scrawny, so skinny it seemed like he just got by on meals. His body was covered in bruises and scabs, toe and finger nails long and warped, and a mop of golden curls piled up on his head. Jeremy blinked again and the girl was back.

Then a new flash of a memory flew in front of Jeremy's eyes, the same boy but he was older and beaming at his own son. Jeremy sucked in a breath, the little girl lying before him reminded Jeremy of Clayton.

The setting sun glinted off something close to the girl's head; curiously he bent down again and fingered a red rock that was attached to a chain that led around the girl's neck.

_What a strange necklace,_ Jeremy thought, his dark brows knitted together. Where had he seen this type of necklace before? It was on the tip of his tongue, and then he remembered.

Last month at the last council meeting, he'd sat next to Jaime and caught her reading a necromancy grimoire. She'd flipped to a page with the image of an amulet, when he'd asked her about it she'd explained what it was for. To keep a necromancer's glow, the aura that identifies a person as a necromancer and attracts ghosts, to a minimum.

This girl wasn't human – not entirely at least – she was a necromancer.

"Holy shit!" Antonio's bellow made Jeremy jump. "What the hell is a human kid doing here? Why is a human kid unconscious in the middle of a forest?"

"No idea but I don't think she's completely human either," Jeremy flipped out his cell phone and punched in a number. He ignored Antonio's array of questions and concentrated on the ringing of the phone.

On the third ring a woman answered with a tired, "Hello?"

"Hey I'm sorry if I woke you," his voice softened the slightest bit.

"Hmmm you did but I'll get my pay back on Monday," Jaime sighed. "And you wouldn't be calling me unless there was something extremely important happening or the world is ending."

Jeremy hesitated, that hurt him a bit to know she thought he'd only call her when he needed to. "I've got a bit of a situation on my hands. I think I've found a child that could be a necromancer, I know that supernaturals don't come into their powers until adolescence but this girl has an amulet like the one in the grimoire you showed me."

Jaime cursed. "Okay well how about you take her back to Stonehaven and we'll figure out what we can do with her. The rest of the council will be here soon enough."

"How long until you get to Stonehaven?"

"Maybe an hour and a half," Jeremy could almost see the blush crept through her cheeks. "Um it's been a long week and I decided to take off before it got any worse."

Jeremy's lip twitched, and a small half smile crossed his features. "Ah, that's fine. Better even, but I should probably go, the girl is close to death, and her face is cold. I need to get her food as soon as possible."

Jaime signed off and promised to be at Stonehaven by 7 pm. He pocketed his phone and Antonio moved behind him. The leaves crackled underneath his feet until Antonio was also crouching beside the girl.

"How long do you think she's been out here?" Antonio asked Jeremy. "She doesn't look very dirty and she's dressed for the cool weather."

"No idea," Jeremy rumbled and picked up the girl, she was feather light. "I'm surprised she's even alive, a girl this small and light could've been used for scraps for a starving animal. Run back and get a water bottle, just in case she wakes on the ride and is thirsty."

Antonio nodded and sprinted back to town to get a water bottle while Jeremy carried the girl back to the car that he and Antonio had come in. Antonio caught up with Jeremy as he was getting in the back seat with the girl.

Antonio slid into the driver's seat and handed Jeremy the bottle then they began the journey home. As the car whizzed past the city Jeremy assessed the girl with great care, she looked so frail and small. Smaller than Clay was when Jeremy found him at the age of 7.

She had long dark hair that was in a loose plait, leaves and mud entwined through her tresses. Incredibly pasty skin, Jeremy thought it was too pale; she looked whiter than a sheet. She was tiny and very emaciated, as light as a feather and didn't even make it to Jeremy's waist in height. In all Jeremy thought she looked dead, but the rise and fall of her chest and the steady beats from inside said otherwise.

"Hey don't you smell dried blood somewhere on her?" Antonio looked back quickly before returning to look at traffic, "And not just from the little scratches on her face."

Jeremy notice something on her right shoulder and found the many articles of clothing sliced through to reveal a cut, deeper than just a scrape but not so deep that it was life threatening. It had already crusted over but who knew what the wound had come in contact with, it needed to be disinfected right away.

"It looks like something sliced her shoulder," Jeremy pulled the first aid kit from underneath the seat, tore her jacket off of her, and cleaned the injury with alcohol. He was grateful that she was unconscious or the alcohol might've stung badly for her. She stirred, her face scrunching up in pain but once Jeremy put a Band-Aid on it she relaxed again. "She felt the sting of the alcohol while I was cleaning the wound but she didn't wake. She might also need stitches but otherwise I can just bandage it and do that later when she's awake."

"Huh?" Antonio said. "She must be a fighter. I wonder what Clay's gonna think of her."

Jeremy's brows shot up. "What do you mean?"

"Well it's obvious that you wouldn't have picked her up if she hadn't reminded you of Clay. If she didn't then you would've called the police and let them handle it, even if she was a supernatural."

"When I saw her there her appearance changed until I saw an illusion of Clay. The old Clay, the one you've never seen. When he actually looked like a feral child. But it wasn't just Clay that made me take her with us. Jaime would want to meet a child with an amulet like this," Jeremy lips pursed and he stared down at the girls face. Her head was in his lap and she looked so serene.

She reminded him of many people. The way he found her reminded him of Clay. How she slept with a faint smile touching her lips reminded him of Jaime. The way she survived in the wilderness when anything could've taken her life, her immense strength, reminded him of Elena. But the person she reminded him of the most was himself.

"Hey," Antonio's beefy hand came down on Jeremy's shoulder, starling the Alpha. "We're back at Stonehaven."

Jeremy nodded and scooted out of Antonio's Mercedes. They hadn't gone far from Bear Valley, only about a half hour away to a town where Antonio had arranged a meeting with a business man and dragged Jeremy along.

Jeremy and Antonio made their way up the path to Stonehaven, Jeremy carrying the mystery girl. With every step Jeremy's fears of Clay exploding over the fact that a human girl trespassed on his territory was coming true. When Antonio held the door open for him, Jeremy took a tentative step inside, cringed and held the girl as tightly to him as possible.

A thump came from upstairs, a door opening and slamming shut, then Clay barrelling down the stairs in a fury. He stopped short and pulled a face of surprise when he saw the small body in Jeremy's arms but his face twisted back into the mask of contempt he felt with any human he didn't know. And this little girl had trespassed on Clay's territory, like any predator, he saw her as a threat. And any threats need to be eliminated. Immediately.

"What the hell is that thing?" Clay demanded and jabbed a finger at the girl.

"Well, Clay," Antonio chuckled, shrugging out of his jacket. "As any sane person would know, it's the elusive female child. Really Clay, with over twenty years of anthropology under your belt, I would think you'd know what a little girl looks like."

"What's it doing here?" Clay hissed at Jeremy.

"_She's_ here because _she's_ a supernatural and _she's _dying," Jeremy enunciated each reference of the girl, not liking Clay calling her _it_. "Clay, come into the study and I'll explain."

As they proceeded to Jeremy's study, Nick and Elena joined them, each holding a baby.

"Meeting?" Nick's gaze went to the girl. "Oh shit."

Clay took his son from Nick's arms and he and Elena put their month old twins down for a nap.

When they returned the girl was sprawled over the chaise, making Clay and Nick sit on the floor. Clay glared at the body on the couch then Elena kicked him and told him to stop being an ass.

"A child is hardly any reason to see as a threat, Clay. That is unless they're a werewolf kid like you were," Antonio grinned when Clay turned his glower at him. "Seriously what harm could she do other than scream our ears off?"

"To me, that's enough," Nick muttered and Clay agreed with him.

"Exposure," Clay snarled. "That's how much of a threat she is."

"And why would she do such a thing is she's a supernatural herself?" Elena questioned, giving her mate a sharp glance. "All supernaturals know that if they exposed themselves that they'd be burned at the stake, or in modern times, killed instantly. Most humans wouldn't even think of them be supernatural, chalk it up to mentally ill or something else. Either way, it'll land them in an asylum or dead."

"Yes, but Clay has a valid reason too," Jeremy spoke up. "It's only a presumption that the girl is a necromancer. A weak one at that, I'm only guessing because of the necklace she wears."

"So you brought a girl in here, a girl that is a risk of exposure to us, because of a fucking _necklace?_" Clay detonated all over again and he tried to keep ranting but a voice at the door stopped him.

"A lapis is created to decrease a necromancer's glow," Jaime stepped into the study. "I'm sorry that I let myself in but I didn't want to wake the twins by ringing the bell and I knocked. I thought that you guys would've heard me."

Jeremy glanced at her then looked back and did a more thorough investigation. Jaime didn't look like she usually did. Instead of skirts, blouses and fitting dresses like she normally donned, Jaime was dressed casually. Her wavy, fiery red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail; she wore black sweat pants and a light blue pullover hoodie. She had little makeup on, which was even stranger for her, and she looked tired. But Jeremy could barely tear his eyes from her.

"It doesn't matter what the damned necklace does," Clay spat. "That thing –"

"Is a child and a necromancer," Jaime cut him off. "And a girl so don't call her it or thing," Jaime turned toward thin air. "Eve? Can you try to gauge her powers?"

Jeremy knew she was talking to the dead half-demon and witch, Eve Levine, and Jaime's spirit guide. Jeremy hadn't met Eve personally but he had met her daughter, Savannah, she'd spent almost every summer since she was 12 at Stonehaven.

"What's she saying?" Elena mumbled through her hand.

"That the girl is a necromancer but, like any necromancer her age, her glow is insignificant," Jaime looked to where Jeremy sat in his chair. "Eve said she needs to be kept alive, and she also wants to see the power the necklace has." Jaime began lifting the pendant over the girls head. As soon as it was off Eve had to shield her eyes.

"GET IT BACK ON!" Eve screamed, inaudible to all but Jaime and the parade of ghosts that came in hordes.

Jaime jumped up and positioned herself so that the girl was partially protected by Jaime's body, not that it would do anything. Eve started barking at the ghosts to get the hell out of there or she'd report them all to the Fates.

Jaime knew she should have brought her necromancy kit up with her but at least she pocketed a lighter and a branch of vervain in case something happened. Burning vervain would drive the ghosts away and that's exactly what she did, unfortunately it also drove Eve away. When Jaime summoned her back, though, Eve complimented her on her fast thinking.

"Eve says that the girl is very powerful, even at such an age," Jaime sat on the arm of the couch. "With the lapis on she has the small aura that any necromancer at her age has, without it though…" she trailed off and peeked at the half-dead child. "She's much more powerful than I am. Her glow is enormous and very bright apparently."

Jaime shook her head. "If she has this much power now… I can't begin to imagine what she'll be able to do once she comes into her full powers," Jaime sobbed and looked at Jeremy. "We need to keep her alive; I want to speak with her once she wakes up."

"Then take her back to Syracuse with you, she's not staying here," Clay grumbled. "Feed her, bathe her, clothe her, do whatever the hell you want with her. She's. Not. Staying. Here."

"Yes she is, Clayton," Jeremy's tone was firm. "I realize that you think of her as a nuisance and a danger but the way I found her, they way she was just unconscious in the forest. She reminded me of you."

"And you were a werewolf, Clay. She's a human girl with the power of necromancy," Elena touched her mate's shoulder. "I know that you're thinking of our safety, especially the twins', but what harm could she do?"

Clay opened his mouth to say something but Jaime cut him off again. "Give her a break Clay, you don't know her and haven't even given her the chance to prove herself yet," the necromancer bristled. "Look I've had one helluva week and just spent a five hour flight with a sleaze ball trying to grope me every five minutes. Give. Her. A. Chance."

They all gaped at Jaime. They'd never seen this side of her, and they all thought it was more than a bit frightening. Jeremy thought she looked gorgeous, even if she looked like she hadn't slept for days. This new side of her made Jeremy's brows lift and his pants tented. _Oh no,_ he thought and quickly tried to hide the reaction.

Clay stared at the girl – intently, for about five minutes. Then he exhaled, defeated. "Fine."

Jeremy nodded; he didn't need Clay to tell him that at the first sign of trouble from her that Clay would make sure that she wouldn't be able to ever create trouble again. The six decided it was best for the girl to sleep in the guest room and for the council to be in New York as soon as possible, which included any underlings and Karl Marsten. So, while Jeremy and Jaime took the girl to the guest bedroom, the other four got busy making various calls to the rest of the delegates.

When they were finally in the room Jeremy laid the girl on the bed then tried to get water down her throat. Easier said than done. They knew that it would be better if the girl was up and able to drink herself, or even aware that they were trying to give her water to keep her alive because it would diminish the risk of her choking. With her being insentient, they need to be careful and make sure the water went down the right pipe and that she wouldn't choke.

Jeremy knew that they shouldn't give her anything to eat or drink but if they wanted her alive then they would have to overlook that rule. When they were done that, Jaime slumped on the bed next to her.

"Are you all right?" Jeremy's face was lined with concern over Jaime's wellbeing.

"Been better," Jaime slurred, sleep catching up with her finally. "It's been a long and hard week and I'm not going to bore you with the details."

"I wouldn't mind," Jeremy smirked when one of her perfect brows lifted in surprise. "But I'm assuming that you would rather sleep than tell me about your week. That's okay, sleep. I'll wake you if anything else happens."

"Mmm thanks," Jaime murmured and was asleep in a matter of seconds. Jeremy took up post in the room, just in case something happened to one or both of them.

He'd been there for ten minutes before his head slumped and his eyes closed, he knew he wouldn't sleep but he would rest. Then the door opened and Clay's blonde head poked in.

"Can I speak with you?" he asked the older man. Jeremy nodded and they returned to the study, Jeremy settling back into his chair and Clay on the couch. "Nick's ordering pizza and is leaving soon to get it, Tonio's still trying to get in contact with Marsten and a few other people."

Clay squirmed on the chaise and Jeremy sighed. "Spit it out Clay."

"Why did she remind you of me?"

"Not just you. Her strength to survive in the wilderness on her own even if it was only for a few hours reminded me of Elena."

Clay stood, paced over to the fire place, struck a match and tossed it in and stirred the embers. "I know necromancers' pose no real threat physically but Jaime said she's powerful, even more powerful than Jaime herself. I –"

"You're worrying about the twins and Elena and the rest of us, even Jaime, Paige, Savannah and the other delegates. Maybe not Cassandra but you're still anxious." When Clay began to protest Jeremy shot him a knowing look and Clay quieted. "You're beating yourself over about your arm, don't. Like Jaime said, give the girl a chance and you might even like her, Clay."

Clay's lips pressed together, like he doubted he'd ever like any human child, his twins were an exception – they weren't fully human. But neither was this girl, and Clay was curious about her and her story.

"Come and get me when dinner arrives," Jeremy stood and started for the door but Clay's voice stopped him before he could leave.

"You know this is history repeating, Jer. She's gonna be Satan's spawn, throw hell around here and turn out to be a venomous necro, bite her lover and be a psychotic killer."

Jeremy chuckled. "Well then I guess I'll know how to handle it this time. But, I just hope this one doesn't dissect the beloved class guinea pig."

"But it was already dead!"

**A/N: **

**Okay so it's been a really long time and I'm super sorry about that. I've had a hard time writing and trying to form my ideas, so it might be a long time before I update any of my stories. **

**BUT I WILL UPDATE! Neither Four Leaf Clover nor Children of the Night are on hiatus or discontinued! They will be update even if it's been a month or two since it was last updated. **

**Speaking of Children of the Night, I've had a bit of a writer's block and am working past it and hope that the next chapter will be up soon. **

**This chapter has many references to the Otherworld series, so if you haven't read it you may be a bit confused. Also, I was wondering if you guys wanted me to write in one of the other characters POV (like Jaime, Jeremy, Elena, Clay, etc…) until Clover wakes up. PM or review for feedback. **

**Thanks for your patience and support! Shawna~~~**


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